The eldest princess suddenly laughed. Her laughter was soft, but it carried a chill that made the air heavy. The shadow guards and A Li lowered their heads, not daring to breathe too loudly.
"How could you be bewitched by Xiao Lan?"
Qiu Yue swallowed hard, remembering the mistake she made in the last investigation. A Li and Wu Ming stood frozen, fear draining the color from their faces before they dropped to their knees and bowed deeply.
"She is only a little girl," Qiu Yue whispered, her voice trembling. "Maybe… this is a mistake."
"Mistake?" The princess hurled Xiao Lan's diary at Qiu Yue's face. The edge of the paper cut her skin, and a thin line of blood trickled down her cheek.
"How can you call her a little girl?" Feng Yao stepped closer, her gaze burning. "She has killed so many people. Her heart is darker than you imagine."
Her voice softened as she lifted Qiu Yue's chin with one finger, forcing her to meet her gaze. "Qiu Yue… Qiu Yue… you failed the last investigation. I have not punished you yet. How dare you speak for her?"
"If you care for her so much, then die with her," Feng Yao said clearly, pushing her chin away.
Qiu Yue looked into Feng Yao's eyes and felt the weight of her fury. Her trembling hands reached for the fallen diary. Page by page, she read Xiao Lan's words.
Once a simple village girl, Xiao Lan had dreamed of becoming the wife of a duke's son. Qiu Yue's eyes widened with every line she read, horror and disbelief mixing with tears that fell onto the blood-stained pages.
Wu Ming's cold sweat trickled down her neck. None of the shadow guards had expected the eldest princess to be this merciless toward Qiu Yue.
After all, Qiu Yue had followed her loyally, and Feng Yao had raised them from childhood into strong shadow guards.
Days of peace had made them forget. They had forgotten that the eldest princess was ruthless. They remembered only her tenderness toward Lang Huan, how she would restrain her temper in front of her beloved consort.
Now that gentleness was nowhere to be found. Wu Ming's hands trembled. Her voice broke with fear, yet pity filled her eyes.
"Please, Your Highness," she said, bowing low. "Please… consider Qiu Yue's loyalty. Spare her life."
The princess sat down and lifted the teacup, The porcelain felt cool against her fingers as she turned the cup in her hand. "Qiu Yue must face her punishment," Feng Yao said, exhaling before taking a slow sip of tea. "One hundred lashes. If she survives… then consider it my forgiveness."
Wu Ming's fist clenched at her side. One hundred lashes with Qiu Yue's weakened body after Lang Huan's strike — was no different from a death sentence.
Qiu Yue closed her eyes, surrendering to fate. There was no pleading left in her heart.
"What are you waiting for?" Feng Yao's tone cut through the silence. "Carry out the punishment."
The shadow guards stepped forward. Without hesitation, they lifted Qiu Yue and laid her face-down on the long bench.
The first strike landed — a sharp, echoing crack that filled the courtyard.
Feng Yao watched in silence as the punishment began. Each lash drew another shudder from Qiu Yue's body, but the princess's expression never changed.
The whip came down again. Qiu Yue, who had tried to endure the pain, could no longer hold back. She screamed, her voice breaking with each strike. The sound tore through the air, raw and desperate, until her cries turned hoarse. Blood splattered across the cold stone floor, each lash leaving another crimson mark on her back.
Wu Ming bit her lip hard, fighting the urge to move. Her hands trembled, her nails digging into her palms. A Li gripped her wrist, shaking her head in silent warning.
By the time the count reached eighty, Qiu Yue's screams had weakened into faint gasps. Her body hung limp, breath shallow, blood soaking through her torn robe.
"One hundred," the guard finally announced, stepping back and bowing deeply.
Feng Yao placed her cup down gently. "If she still breathes, tend to her wounds. If not… bury her."
Her gaze shifted. "Where is Xiao Lan?"
"In the prison basement," Wu Ming answered quickly, her voice thin with the aftertaste of fear. "Would Your Highness like to see her?"
The faint lift of her brow silenced any further question. She waved her hand. "Not now. Lang Huan will wake soon. Just prepare everything for tomorrow night."
She glanced at Qiu Yue, then rose from her seat, the silk of her robe whispering across the floor like a shadow sliding away. A Li hurried to stand at her side; without a word, Feng Yao let her hand rest lightly on A Li's forearm.
They left the pavilion. Behind them, Qiu Yue lay on the bench, her breaths ragged and uneven. The eldest princess's figure had already vanished from sight when tears finally spilled down Qiu Yue's face. Wu Ming crouched beside her, trembling hands helping her back to her room.
A Li let out a long sigh. "Who would have thought Miss Xiao Lan was like a snake," she muttered. "So ungrateful… How could a girl of fifteen or sixteen plan something so cruel—killing those who had nothing to do with her?"
Feng Yao stopped walking and turned slightly, her expression calm.
"When I was fifteen, I killed people too."
A Li's eyes widened. "That's different," she protested quickly. "Your Highness was wise—those people deserved it."
The eldest princess laughed softly at her words. A Li understood her; in her eyes, Feng Yao found no blame even after Qiu Yue's harsh punishment, only the steady loyalty that had followed her for years.
---
When the eldest princess returned to her room, she was relieved to find that Lang Huan was still fast asleep. The sleeping incense had worked perfectly; the room was quiet, filled with the faint scent of lotus and sandalwood.
Feng Yao loosened her outer robe and slipped into a thin nightgown. She lifted the blanket and slid beneath it, pressing a soft kiss to Lang Huan's forehead before closing her eyes beside her.
Morning came gently. When Lang Huan stirred awake, the first thing she saw was the princess sleeping next to her. A smile curved her lips. She wrapped her arms around Feng Yao, burying her face against her neck before snuggling deeper into her embrace.
"Why are you awake so early?" Feng Yao murmured, still half asleep. "Sleep a little longer.
Lang Huan frowned slightly. "No… I had a bad dream last night. There was a woman crying and screaming. It was… really terrible."
Feng Yao opened her eyes and let out a quiet chuckle. "How old are you?" she teased softly, pinching Lang Huan's cheek. "Still afraid of dreams?"
"It didn't feel like a dream," Lang Huan murmured as she rose from her embrace, her brows knitting together. "It felt real… as if it truly happened. Can sleeping incense make someone dream—or hallucinate?"
The princess's smile faltered. She guessed that Lang Huan must have heard Qiu Yue's screams in her sleep. "There's no such thing," Feng Yao said gently, running her hand along Lang Huan's back.
"Lang Huan… I'm still sleepy. Stay with me a little longer." Her tone softened again, coaxing, as she drew Lang Huan back into her arms, burying the truth beneath the warmth of her embrace.